Police and criticism
In the Jan. 9, 1997 edition of Kompas there was a disappointing statement from Jakarta Police Chief Gen. Hamami Nata.
He was trying to explain the release of a large number of students involved in the hijacking of a city bus which lead to violence and caused injuries to the driver.
According to the police chief, the students did not hijack the bus but only tried to force the bus to take them to a certain destination. However their attempt failed.
If I am not mistaken, most hijackers (of planes, trains or other vehicles) act exactly the same as the students did, and they all pay dearly for it. Such an interpretation of the students' conduct is unacceptable.
The students should be duly punished and not released so easily. This might create a very bad precedent and encourage other students to do similar things which cannot be tolerated.
I recall reading an article in the Jan. 4 edition of The Jakarta Post which said that the National Police chief's spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi had dismissed recent criticism as unfair.
The police could not accept criticism aired by a number of people including Kristiadi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), law professor Satjipto Rahardjo, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights, and retired National Police chief Kunarto.
The police spokesman said the criticisms were shallow, because the critics did not make their opinions known to the police before revealing them to the public.
Why should they inform the police about their opinions in the first place? It's a strange idea, especially as it comes from a high ranking police officer. Most people believe that the guilty students must be punished according to the law. Punishment has an educative value and is also important in upholding discipline. Our national discipline movement must not become an empty slogan, we must do our utmost to make all programs a success.
It is true that we are engaged in too many programs simultaneously: national discipline, caring for the poor, foster parents for poor children, improvement of people's health etc. To implement each of the programs we have established organizations, foundations, shock units etc.
Police should accept criticism and try to improve from the public's constructive comments. Psychologically speaking, people like to find fault instead of trying to point out the good things. However, as far as I am concerned, the community is pointing out the negative things because they hope to improve the service not discount it. People believe their life will be more peaceful and enjoyable if the police take care of them and protect society. Long live the police, we respect you!
SOEGIH ARTO
Jakarta